Michael Norris / Amarillo Globe-News Jose Moncayo, with Cole Stanley Builders, bolts on some covers on the shutters Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at a home at 39117 Arden Road that will be given away by Arbor Christian Academy.

Like all nonprofit organizations, private schools must find creative ways to fundraise. Just asking for money doesn’t get the job done. Often, donors need an incentive to give beyond the needs of the organization.

Arbor Christian Academy hopes its supporters regard a newly built, three-bedroom house in southwest Amarillo as sufficient incentive. That gift will be awarded to one of the donors to the school’s current fundraiser, Arbor Home Giveaway.

Located in the City View neighborhood, the house at 3917 Arden Road isn’t quite completed. When finished, the house will offer 1,864 square feet of living space, a 649-square-foot garage, plus a small, covered porch and a large, covered back patio for a total of 2,719 square feet under its roof. The house is being built by Amarillo-based Cole Stanley Homes.

“This is Arbor’s biggest fundraiser,” said Kim May, an Arbor Christian parent who’s helping publicize the school’s effort. “It really helps with the operating expenses and really does help keep the school doors open.”

Donors can purchase a $100 raffle ticket, either at the school or online at www.arborhomegiveaway.com. Because the house is valued at $205,000, the school hopes to sell 2,000 tickets before the May 11 purchase deadline. If fewer than 2,000 tickets have been purchased by that date, the giveaway will be canceled and donors may apply for a refund, May said.

To keep the chances of winning favorable for donors, the school plans to sell no more than 3,000 tickets, May said.

Arbor Christian Academy, located in southwest Amarillo at 5000 Hollywood Road, was founded in 1988. The school serves 126 elementary school students, 73 junior high students and 91 high school students, according to school records.

The increasing number of high school students has driven up the school’s operating cost per student because high school activities are more expensive to fund, May said.

About 97 percent of Arbor’s graduating seniors go directly to college, according to school records. Arbor employs 41 faculty and 48 staff, May said. The school is associated with Trinity Fellowship, an Amarillo church, and is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International.

“I think it’s really important that we continue to have quality private education in Amarillo,” May said. “We want (the fundraiser) to be a huge success.”